Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Live at Meridian Hall
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Live at Meridian Hall, Toronto – 2025 Tour Concert Review
I’m still buzzing from seeing Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds live at Meridian Hall in Toronto on their 2025 Wild God tour. As a longtime fan, I witnessed one of the best live rock performances I’ve ever attended. From the moment the band kicked off without any opening act, the energy was electric. This Nick Cave concert review comes straight from the heart – it was an intimate, passionate show where Cave’s unique sound and emotional intensity resonated through every song.
The band’s sound felt newly reinvigorated. Songs from the latest album Wild God sounded both familiar and fresh. As one reviewer noted, the new material embodies a “transcendent transformation” in the band’s style. I felt that excitement live – old melodies took on new life with soaring arrangements and thunderous crescendos.
Nick Cave has a special, almost spiritual connection with his audience. Throughout the night he reached out into the crowd, pulling fans in close. At one point he even climbed down from the stage, clutched a front-row fan’s hand, and leapt back up while singing. You “could feel the tactile force of his bony chest on the front row’s hands. His banter and songs felt like a personal conversation with each of us; we were singing along to every word.
Even with the band roaring behind him, Cave kept the mood intimate and raw. He often stopped playing to speak softly or kneel, and songs like “I Need You” or the encore ballad “Into My Arms” felt like private confessions delivered across a hushed theatre. The gospel and Southern rock influences (complete with vocalists in choir robes) gave the music a devotional feel. By “The Weeping Song” we were clapping and singing together in perfect call-and-response – turning that quiet tune into an interactive feast
It’s remarkable, that someone with so few radio hits can command a sold-out hall. Cave’s biggest chart moments were collaborations like “Where the Wild Roses Grow” or “Into My Arms”. Yet he has “gradually developed a cult following” who know dozens of deep cuts by heart. Last night proved why: the setlist jumped from early Bad Seeds classics through ’90s ballads to brand-new Wild God anthems, showing the astonishing depth of his 18-album catalogue (the 18th album Wild God was released in 2024). Every era of his music got love – from the tribal drums of “Tupelo” to the hushed beauty of “Skeleton Tree.”
Show Highlights
The lights barely dimmed before Cave and the Bad Seeds stormed onstage, launching straight into “Frogs.” With no opener to dilute the energy, the band had us in their grip from song one.
We all chanted along as Cave cued us (“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”) during “Song of the Lake,” clapped during “White Elephant,” and screamed every lyric to anthems like “Red Right Hand.” His presence was magnetic – he teased, smiled, and spent the whole night right at the edge of the stage, even diving into the pit for “Tupelo.”
In total we heard all 22 songs of his show, including “Red Right Hand,” “Into My Arms,” and “O Children” (just a few of his most beloved tunes). The concert felt like a guided tour through his career. As one reviewer put it, we experienced the Bad Seeds’ “breathtaking metamorphosis” live – each song building full-bodied, transcendent crescendos.
Every song was delivered with the urgency and devotion of a best live rock performance. Cave’s voice ranged from feral howls to tender whispers. Behind him, Jim Sclavunos’ percussion, Warren Ellis’ violin, and the multi-part vocal harmonies created an almost church-like atmosphere. It was wild, it was reverent, and it was utterly captivating.
Setlist
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Frogs
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Wild God
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Song of the Lake
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O Children
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Jubilee Street
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From Her to Eternity
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Long Dark Night
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Cinnamon Horses
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Tupelo
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Conversion
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Bright Horses
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Joy
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I Need You
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Carnage (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis cover)
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Final Rescue Attempt
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Red Right Hand
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The Mercy Seat
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White Elephant (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis cover)
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(Break / Encore break)
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Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry
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The Weeping Song
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Skeleton Tree
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Into My Arms
Each song built the intensity, leading to climactic highs (“The Mercy Seat” roared like a thunderbolt) and intimate lows (“Into My Arms” echoed through the hall in a hushed finale). The set showed every facet of Cave’s artistry and made you feel every lyric.
Final Thoughts
By the end, I was cheering, singing, crying, and completely exhausted – in the best way. This Toronto show reaffirmed that Nick Cave’s concerts are something special. He may not churn out pop hits, but what he does have is a huge, devoted fanbase willing to follow him anywhere. I saw faces in the crowd young and old, each moved by the same dark poetry and honesty.
If you’re reading this and you haven’t experienced Cave Live yet, take it from me: don’t wait. This was the Nick Cave 2025 tour stop, and every night is a once-in-a-lifetime event. The performance, the songs, the connection – it was everything a fan could hope for. It was the sort of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds live experience that you’ll remember forever, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I know I will be seeing him live again as soon as I can.
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